The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created a lot of jobsite safety rules since its creation in 1971. Some of those rules have become outdated, due to a variety of reasons, or have caused unnecessary confusion for companies due to wording. Earlier this month, OSHA proposed 18 revisions to existing rules, with many affecting the construction industry.
Read moreThe 10 Most Common OSHA Citations for Construction in the Past 12 Months
2016 has been a big year for OSHA, as the organization has raised the cost of fines for safety violations for the first time since 1990. Made, effective in August, fines were raised 78%, making the cost of a serious violation $12,471. The construction industry is by far the most affected by OSHA regulations, as it accounted for 43.3% of all citations, 52.92% of all inspections, and 44.16% of all penalties assessed from October 2015 to September 2016. Of all specific types of contractors, roofing contractors account for the largest quantity of citations (6,924), following by framing contractors (3,810), and masonry contractors (2,501).
Read more[VIDEO] Watch Hundreds of Construction Vehicles Team Up to Lay Asphalt on a Russian Street
via Youtube
It’s not often that a gigantic pack of construction vehicles are seen on the same site together, been when they do, it’s pretty memorizing. Some of our favorite construction videos of all time involve more machines than you would think could fit in one space, like this 10 hour demolition of a Canadian Overpass or this video of 116 excavators working side-by-side in China. Very few jobsites have the luxury of throwing a bunch of machines and labor on a project, but, if performed correctly, it can get a job done pretty quickly.
Read moreNew Law May Disqualify Many Contractors from Federal Construction Work
U.S. Department of Labor
2016 has been filled with controversial law changes affecting contractors, like the first increase in OSHA fines in 27 years, OSHA’s new injury reporting rule, and new overtime pay rules. Industry groups have submitted comments hoping to ease the pain on contractors, but have not had any success overturning any of them. The next challenge facing contractors started with the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order signed in July 31.
Read moreTHE TRADE EXCHANGE: A new app that connects contractors and tradesmen
Trade Exchange App
[SPONSORED] The Trade Exchange, or "T-Rex" for short, connects the best contractors, subs, tradesmen, designers and builders on one app. It helps you build your network of other local pros, so you can work together more efficiently and get the job done. Click to read more...
Read moreBosch is Giving Away a New $50K RAM Truck
Bosch, one of the construction industry's trusted tool manufacturers, has just announced an exciting new sweepstakes, giving you a chance to win $50,000 towards a new RAM truck or van. It is all part of a newly announced "Stand By Your Work" sweepstakes, which runs now through November 30th of this year.
Read more[VIDEO] Thrill Seekers Are Climbing Construction Cranes; What Can Contractors Do?
Cranes are not only an extremely useful piece of equipment, but they’re also extremely dangerous if something goes wrong. Each year, there are several crane collapses and other crane related accidents that claim lives. Having said that, the last thing contractors need is for adrenaline seekers to start climbing and playing around on their cranes. The problem is, it’s already happening.
Read moreReview: Porter Cable 20V MAX* LITHIUM 6-1/2" CIRCULAR SAW
portercable.com
This 6-1/2” circular saw fits perfectly into the light duty category for circular saws. With the 4.0ah battery, 50 degree bevel, and 4000 rpm saw speed this model delivers performance comparable to many of the heavy duty saws on the market while still keeping a very reasonable price point.
Read moreNew Safety Tool Instantaneously Measures Noise, Particulate, and UV Exposure Levels
photo via SmartSite
We have a lot of safety rules in construction and it’s practically impossible to monitor your job site for compliance of every single rule. To complicate matters, many rules are based upon exposure limits, especially when airborne particles are involved. OSHA recently reduced the allowable exposure limit of silica dust, which is found in concrete, stone, and brick, before additional PPE or engineering controls are required. This rule change has caused a lot of grief among construction industry groups, who called the rule technologically infeasible, because what contractor is really set up to measure when 50 micrograms of silica dust per cubic meter of air is actually reached?
Read moreContractors Beware: Twitter Can Get Your Jobsite Shut Down
Twitter, the social media site that people seem to either love or hate, has made people more aware of their surroundings and can be a soundboard for controversy. For some companies, Twitter is used for a large part of their customer service program, responding to complaints within the 160 character limit. Now, it seems, contractors could potentially have a powerful watchdog looking over their shoulder, as long as the tweets land in the right hands.
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